I Had Trials Once...

By I Had Trials Once...Comedy Sports Soccer

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I Had Trials Once... episodes

October 15 Gerrard’s Dark Arts, Henderson HUMILIATION, Career ENDING Video & BATTLING MY DEMONS | Dan Atherton
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Daniel Atherton joins us to tell some unbelievable stories from his time at the club, including Steven Gerrard’s brutally competitive side, Jordan Henderson making him look ridiculous in training, and the bizarre Palmer Violets incident that left him fearing his Liverpool career was over.
Daniel lifts the lid on what it was really like training alongside some of the biggest names in football, from Gerrard to Henderson, and opens up about the highs and lows of a career that took him from Liverpool to non-league football.
But behind the funny stories, there’s a much more personal conversation. Daniel speaks honestly about battling anxiety, depression and ADHD, reaching some of the darkest points of his life, and how opening up and getting professional help helped him begin to understand his own mind.
It’s a brilliant, honest conversation about life inside a Premier League academy, the reality of a football career, and the importance of talking when things get tough.
0:00 Intro
1:47 Liverpool Academy
4:45 Rejected by Liverpool
16:48 Nearly Released
17:46 Steven Gerrard at Liverpool
19:37 Gerrard’s Dark Side
20:58 Career Ending Video
26:46 Pep Lijnders & Liverpool Training
27:40 Jordan Henderson Humiliation
29:12 Imposter Syndrome
31:00 Training With Liverpool’s First Team
34:00 Klopp Plays Him Up Front
36:00 Nearly Scoring for Liverpool
39:27 Leaving Liverpool
40:20 Málaga & Spanish Football
44:00 Football Trials
47:00 Improving as a Goalkeeper
51:00 The New Saints & Champions League
55:00 The Champions League Dream
1:00:00 Losing His Love for Football
1:04:00 Warrington Town & FC United
1:06:50 Anxiety, Depression & ADHD
1:08:22 Drinking to Silence His Mind
1:11:37 His Darkest Moments
1:13:49 Feeling Alone
1:18:29 How Therapy Helped
1:19:07 The Fire Pit Therapy Exercise
1:20:16 Talking About Mental Health
1:22:40 The Don’t Want to Talk Podcast
1:24:35 Outro
👋 Got someone you'd love to see on the podcast? Drop us a message on any of our socials or let us know in the comments.
👌 If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you Like, Comment & Subscribe, and turn notifications on so you never miss a new episode.
👀 Join I Had Trials Once on Patreon for just £3 a month for more exclusive, unfiltered content that we simply cannot get away with on YouTube
👉   / ihadtrialsonce
👏 A massive thanks to CAPO for sponsoring this week's episode.
👔 Check them out: https://capouk.com/
🤑 Use code IHADTRIALS at checkout to save 15%.
🤔 Who should we get on next? Let us know in the comments!
😍 Connect with us:
🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/ihadtrialsonce
📸 Instagram:   / ihadtrialsonce
⏳ TikTok:   / ihadtrialsonce
🖥️ Facebook:   / ihadtrialsoncepodcast
⚽ I Had Trials Once is the football podcast where the best stories from the game get told. Every week we sit down with former footballers, current players, managers, coaches, journalists and some of football's biggest personalities for honest conversations, hilarious dressing room stories, untold career moments and behind the scenes insight.
📈 From the Premier League and EFL to Non League, grassroots football and beyond, if you love football stories, football interviews and proper football banter, you're in the right place.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 hr 34 min
October 13 Retiring Early At 22 Years Old, Neil Aspin's Copa Mundial's & Becoming A Gaffer! | Lewis Hardcastle
This episode of IHTO was filmed last year as a Patreon exclusive, but we thought with Lewis taking over at Avro, it would be the right time to release it for free!
Lewis sits down with the boys to discuss all things football from starting out at Blackburn to retiring early at 22 because of a heart condition.
The lads start the pod talking about Lewis' time at Blackburn Rovers in the academy with Willem Tomlinson, John Buckley & Lewis Travis.
Lewis then talks about dropping into non-league on loan where he played with Gaz & Jordan at Salford and why playing men's football at a young age is so crucial.
Lewis chats about his bad decision to join Port Vale on loan where he had issues with manager Neil Aspin, struggling to cope mentally with not being the team and why the move set his career back.
The trio then discuss Lewis' move to Barrow, working with Ian Evatt and David Dunn as well as early heart issues starting to affect his career.
Lewis openly talks about how heart issues forced him to retire early at 22 years old, how he struggled to deal with his health issues and what life looks like after he hung up his boots.
Finally they discuss Lewis journey into coaching and his aims of becoming a first team manager in the near future.
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Let us know in the comments who you want to see on a future episode of the Podcast! 👇
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0:00 Intro with Lewis Hardcastle
14:25 Moving into coaching.
18:00 Early life at Blackburn Rovers.
24:08 Dropping into non-league.
35:30 Port Vale loan move.
46:25 Fresh start at Barrow.
52:06 Retiring at 22 with a heart issue.
1:01:15 Becoming a coach.

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1 hr 12 min
October 08 Why I QUIT Avro For Radcliffe FC: Grant Shenton EXCLUSIVE | NLOTO
Grant Shenton joins Gaz Seddon, Gary Stopforth and the NLOTO lads to reveal the inside story behind his move from Avro into the Radcliffe manager’s seat, including how the opportunity came about, what he’s been asked to do and whether Jordan Hulme will remain captain.
There’s plenty more chaos too, including the Gateshead “bomb squad” and players being removed from the WhatsApp group, the bizarre Ben Mayhew and anonymous Twitter account (undercover chairman?) row at Bury Town, and Kerry Katona’s alleged video doing the rounds in non-league group chats.
The lads also debate whether clubs should prioritise an FA Cup run or chasing promotion, before getting stuck into some classic non-league stories, social media aliases, ringers and a few football games to finish.
Chapters
0:00 Intro
1:51 Grant Shenton: The Inside Story of Radcliffe Move
7:06 Grant’s Expectations At Radcliffe
8:45 Will Jordan Hulme Stay Captain?
10:38 Grant’s First Game In Charge
14:23 Kerry Katona Alleged Video & The Non-League WhatsApp Groups
15:26 Gateshead’s Bomb Squad & WhatsApp Chaos
21:47 Gateshead’s Finances & Club Structure
22:44 The Undercover Chairman & Ben Mayhew Row
26:40 Fake Accounts & Non-League Twitter
30:06 Parents, Aliases & Social Media
31:32 Social Media Clips & Player Hype
34:33 The Ringer Story
38:18 The Fan Who Scored
40:32 FA Cup Earnings & Jordan Hulme’s Form
44:46 FA Cup Money, TV & Gate Receipts
46:38 FA Cup Run Or Promotion?
48:36 Blind Ranking Footballers
52:05 Name That Player
52:24 The Footballer Link Game
54:16 Outro
👋 Got someone you'd love to see on the podcast? Drop us a message on any of our socials or let us know in the comments.
👌 If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you Like, Comment & Subscribe, and turn notifications on so you never miss a new episode.
👀 Join I Had Trials Once on Patreon for just £3 a month for more exclusive, unfiltered content that we simply cannot get away with on YouTube
👉 https://www.patreon.com/IHadTrialsOnce
👏 A massive thanks to CAPO for sponsoring this week's episode.
👔 Check them out: https://capouk.com/
🤑 Use code IHADTRIALS at checkout to save 15%.
🤔 Who should we get on next? Let us know in the comments!
😍 Connect with us:
🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/ihadtrialsonce
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ihadtrialsonce
⏳ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ihadtrialsonce
🖥️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ihadtrialsoncepodcast
⚽ I Had Trials Once is the football podcast where the best stories from the game get told. Every week we sit down with former footballers, current players, managers, coaches, journalists and some of football's biggest personalities for honest conversations, hilarious dressing room stories, untold career moments and behind the scenes insight.
📈 From the Premier League and EFL to Non League, grassroots football and beyond, if you love football stories, football interviews and proper football banter, you're in the right place.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
57 min
September 30 Non-League GANGSTERS, DODGY Contracts & BRUTAL Sackings! | Danny Meadowcroft
Danny Meadowcroft joins I Had Trials Once to tell some incredible stories from a career that took him from Stockport County into the professional game & deep into the chaos of Non-League football.
Danny discusses playing at Stockport alongside future stars including Ashley Williams & Rickie Lambert, working under Carlton Palmer, his remarkable 40-yard goal, a wild tour of China, becoming captain at just 19 & making the jump into full-time football with Morecambe.
He also opens up on the reality of Non-League contracts, including contracts being left in the “top drawer”, discovering he wasn't actually under contract after an injury & the chairman who the hosts describe as a bit of a gangster.
There are stories about Steve Morison, Jamie Vardy, Christmas bookings, dressing-room drinking games, Chester, Colwyn Bay & Danny's experiences in management.
Then comes the unbelievable finale: Danny takes over at Barnton, wins the League Cup, wins the play-offs... and gets sacked.
0:00 Intro
6:36 Danny Meadowcroft
7:55 Stockport County & Carlton Palmer
12:19 Ashley Williams & Rickie Lambert
17:16 Danny Shittu: “The Beast”
20:20 Danny’s 40-Yard Goal
24:00 Mossley Captain at 19
25:07 Non-League Dressing Room Chaos
31:39 Morecambe Move & Failed Medical
38:39 Bradford Park Avenue Contract Drama
44:50 Steve Morison Battle
46:16 Jamie Vardy in Non-League
58:35 Shoulder Injury & No Contract
1:00:35 Non-League Drinking Challenges
1:07:18 10/1 Bet & Pitch Invasion
1:14:11 Colwyn Bay & Welsh Football
1:31:47 Management: Won the Cup & Got Sacked
1:34:30 Outro
👋 Got someone you'd love to see on the podcast? Drop us a message on any of our socials or let us know in the comments.
👌 If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you Like, Comment & Subscribe, and turn notifications on so you never miss a new episode.
👀 Join I Had Trials Once on Patreon for just £3 a month for more exclusive, unfiltered content that we simply cannot get away with on YouTube
👉 https://www.patreon.com/IHadTrialsOnce
👏 A massive thanks to CAPO for sponsoring this week's episode.
👔 Check them out: https://capouk.com/
🤑 Use code IHADTRIALS at checkout to save 15%.
🤔 Who should we get on next? Let us know in the comments!
😍 Connect with us:
🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/ihadtrialsonce
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ihadtrialsonce
⏳ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ihadtrialsonce
🖥️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ihadtrialsoncepodcast
⚽ I Had Trials Once is the football podcast where the best stories from the game get told. Every week we sit down with former footballers, current players, managers, coaches, journalists and some of football's biggest personalities for honest conversations, hilarious dressing room stories, untold career moments and behind the scenes insight.
📈 From the Premier League and EFL to Non League, grassroots football and beyond, if you love football stories, football interviews and proper football banter, you're in the right place.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 hr 37 min
September 24 I Cut My BROKEN LEG Cast Off To Play (BIG MISTAKE) + Spice Girls RANKED & Is Chester REALLY Welsh
Gareth Seddon is joined by Grant Shenton and Daniel Atherton for another episode of I Had Trials Once.
The lads discuss Chester FC, Cole Palmer withdrawing from England duty due to load management, Peterborough’s manager sacking and those bizarre text messages, Kristi Montgomery’s Scotland call-up, football bonuses, plus some questionable Spice Girls stories.
Daniel Atherton also joins the conversation after starting his career with Liverpool, playing for FC United and now training with Harrogate Town.
👋 Got someone you'd love to see on the podcast? Drop us a message on any of our socials or let us know in the comments.
👌 If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you Like, Comment & Subscribe, and turn notifications on so you never miss a new episode.
👀 Join I Had Trials Once on Patreon for just £3 a month for more exclusive, unfiltered content that we simply cannot get away with on YouTube
👉   / ihadtrialsonce
👏 A massive thanks to CAPO for sponsoring this week's episode.
👔 Check them out: https://capouk.com/
🤑 Use code IHADTRIALS at checkout to save 15%.
🤔 Who should we get on next? Let us know in the comments!
😍 Connect with us:
🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/ihadtrialsonce
📸 Instagram:   / ihadtrialsonce
⏳ TikTok:   / ihadtrialsonce
🖥️ Facebook:   / ihadtrialsoncepodcast
⚽ I Had Trials Once is the football podcast where the best stories from the game get told. Every week we sit down with former footballers, current players, managers, coaches, journalists and some of football's biggest personalities for honest conversations, hilarious dressing room stories, untold career moments and behind the scenes insight.
📈 From the Premier League and EFL to Non League, grassroots football and beyond, if you love football stories, football interviews and proper football banter, you're in the right place.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
51 min
September 16 I GOT ARRESTED: Jack Mackreth On POLICE CHAOS, Jermain Pennant's HIDDEN UCL Medal & FA Cup Boycott
Jack Mackreth joins I Had Trials Once to look back on a football career full of unbelievable stories, from non league football and unpaid wages to Wembley heartache with Grimsby Town.
Jack reveals what it was like being paid just £150 a week in non league, before explaining how he and his teammates went without being paid and threatened to boycott an FA Cup tie because of it.
He also reflects on his time at Grimsby Town, including the experience of playing at Wembley in front of 56,000 people and the disappointment of losing on penalties, despite their confidence of winning the showpiece tie.
Jack also tells the tale of being wrongly arrested and taken into police custody after a night out with the Grimsby squad, alongside plenty of brilliant dressing room stories from throughout his career.
There's plenty more too, including the story involving Jermain Pennant and a Champions League medal, his experiences at Macclesfield and Tranmere, the injury that eventually ended his playing career, moving into accountancy and finance, helping former footballers with their finances and the phone call from Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish.
A proper football career full of brilliant stories, unforgettable moments and plenty of lessons from life after the game.
_
👋 Got someone you'd love to see on the podcast? Drop us a message on any of our socials or let us know in the comments.
👌 If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you Like, Comment & Subscribe, and turn notifications on so you never miss a new episode.
👀 Join I Had Trials Once on Patreon for just £3 a month for more exclusive, unfiltered content that we simply cannot get away with on YouTube
👉 https://www.patreon.com/IHadTrialsOnce
👏 A massive thanks to CAPO for sponsoring this week's episode.
👔 Check them out: https://capouk.com/
🤑 Use code IHADTRIALS at checkout to save 15%.
🤔 Who should we get on next? Let us know in the comments!
😍 Connect with us:
🐦 X (Twitter): https://x.com/ihadtrialsonce
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ihadtrialsonce
⏳ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ihadtrialsonce
🖥️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ihadtrialsoncepodcast
⚽ I Had Trials Once is the football podcast where the best stories from the game get told. Every week we sit down with former footballers, current players, managers, coaches, journalists and some of football's biggest personalities for honest conversations, hilarious dressing room stories, untold career moments and behind the scenes insight.
📈 From the Premier League and EFL to Non League, grassroots football and beyond, if you love football stories, football interviews and proper football banter, you're in the right place.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 hr 51 min
September 09 POISONED Lasagne, £10K Non-League Wages, XG on a NIGHT OUT + PITCH INVADING ALPACA! AVRO FC In Focus
This week, Gaz Seddon is joined by Gary Stopforth and Avro FC manager Grant Shenton for another trip through non-league football.
On the menu we’ve got poisoned Lasagne, a £10K non-league wages debate, talking XG on a night out, football nicknames, blind ranking managers and a pitch-invading alpaca (yes, you did read that right!) plus Avro FC’s fascinating history in our AVRO FC In Focus quiz.
Another absolute shambles

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44 min
September 02 James Norwood RAW! SUSPENDED At Ipswich, REGRETTING Oldham, Micky Mellon & HATING Forest Green
James Norwood joins Gaz and G Stop to chat about his career, from having trials once at Crystal Palace and missing a lads' holiday to Zante, right through to becoming a goalscoring phenomenon at Tranmere Rovers, playing for and being suspended by Ipswich Town, Joey Barton turning him down at Bristol Rovers, sneaking in an extra year at Barnsley, and regretting ever turning up at Oldham Athletic.
Norwood doesn't hold back either.
He talks about dealing with internet trolls, finding his next club, the managers he's worked under, some of the crazy moments from his career and the realities of life as a professional footballer travlling up and down the country chasing contracts.
There's the story of missing a holiday to sign for Exeter City, some brilliant tales from Forest Green Rovers and why he now hates the club, choosing National League Tranmere Rovers over then-Championship side Burton Albion, scoring in a play-off final, and knocking Forest Green out of the League Two play-offs.
We also get into his time at Ipswich Town, playing with his back to goal, injuries, being suspended and the problems that eventually saw him leave.
And then there's Oldham...
Norwood opens up about joining Oldham Athletic, wanting to leave after just one game, the fallout behind the scenes and why he ultimately regrets making the move.
Plus, there's boozing before Leeds, questionable social media posts, mouldy showers and some brutally honest opinions on managers.
Chapters
00:00 - James Norwood Interview
02:28 - Usain Bolt Signs for Wythenshawe Vets
04:00 - James Norwood on Dealing With Internet Trolls
05:50 - James Norwood's Next Career Move
08:15 - James Norwood's Football Back Story
11:18 - James Norwood: “I Had Trials Once at Crystal Palace”
12:30 - Missing the Lads' Holiday to Zante
14:52 - James Norwood's First Season at Exeter City
15:13 - James Norwood on Boozing Before Leeds
18:46 - James Norwood Goes on Loan to Sutton United
19:30 - James Norwood at Forest Green Rovers
22:11 - James Norwood Playing Left Midfield
22:36 - Forest Green Rovers' Weird Training Rituals
30:35 - Why James Norwood Left Forest Green Rovers
37:27 - The Craziest Transfer Story
38:10 - James Norwood's Worldie Against Cardiff
39:04 - Why James Norwood Chose Tranmere Over Burton
44:06 - James Norwood on Tranmere Rovers
45:52 - James Norwood's Incredible Tranmere Goalscoring Record
48:30 - Scoring in the Play-Off Final
52:48 - Knocking Forest Green Out of the Play-Offs
53:45 - Leaving Tranmere Rovers
55:48 - James Norwood's VERY Dodgy Social Media
56:50 - James Norwood Signs for Ipswich Town
59:49 - Playing Through Injury
1:01:18 - NorwoodMania Wrestling & Paul Lambert
1:04:08 - Problems at Ipswich Town
1:07:12 - Why James Norwood Was Suspended
1:08:55 - The CEO, Paul Cook & James Norwood
1:13:54 - Working With Kieran McKenna
1:17:57 - James Norwood Signs for Bristol Rovers
1:19:24 - Choosing Between Oxford United and Barnsley
1:20:10 - James Norwood at Barnsley With Michael Duff
1:21:24 - James Norwood Turns Up at the Wrong Wedding
1:25:14 - Signing for Oldham Athletic
1:25:17 - From Championship Football to Mouldy Showers
1:26:22 - Why James Norwood Wanted to Leave Oldham After One Game
1:31:32 - James Norwood on Tactically Inept Managers
1:32:00 - The Most Enjoyable Part of James Norwood's Career
1:34:12 - James Norwood Regrets Signing for Oldham
1:35:25 - The Oldham Fallout
1:37:34 - James Norwood's Football Future
#IHadTrialsOnce #NonLeague #Football #TranmereRovers #IpswichTown #OldhamAthletic #NationalLeague #Barnsley

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1 hr 41 min
August 27 £500k Non-League Bid, Usain Bolt Joins Wythenshawe Vets & Best Non-League Grounds!
In this week’s episode of Non League Of Their Own, Gaz, G Stop and Shents review the craziest happenings around non-league football, within the UK and internationally, including sacrificing chickens before making a sub to win a game and more.
Elsewhere we discuss Bernard Morley’s departure from Radcliffe FC, Gaz reveals his dirty tricks dropping urinal blocks into his mates pints, non-league pitch wars, podcast banter for Jordan at Hereford and York City bidding half a million for AFC Fylde’s Danny Ormerod.
Stay up to date with all things non-league by subscribing to I Had Trials Once on YouTube and Spotify.
0:00 Intro - Non League of their own
02:30 Curzon Ashton’s season so far with Grant Shenton
3:53 News segment with G-stop
6:00 Bernard Morley has left Radcliffe FC reaction
09:27 Bobby Kamwa celebration
15:28 Jordan Hulme being booed at Hereford
18:30 Apologising for the pitch at Hereford
20:08 Non-League pitch wars
27:12 Wythenshawe Vets sign Usain Bolt
32:46 John Terry’s booking skullduggery
42:50 York City bid £500k for AFC Fylde’s Danny Ormerod
52:30 Questions from viewers: Seagull vs Chip
57:20 Outro

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1 hr
August 19 “HE WAS RAGING!” Duncan Ferguson’s Broken Toe & Everton Academy Stories | Russell Griffiths
We're back with another episode of I Had Trials Once and this time we're joined by former Everton, Motherwell and Chester goalkeeper...Russell Griffiths! Russell sits down with Gaz & G Stop as he discusses his time in football from playing with our very own G Stop, to having balls blasted at him by Lukaku.
The lads start the pod talking about Michael's early life in football, playing in Evertons academy and starting off as a defender. They then talk in depth about training in the first team for Everton, as well as some cracking Duncan Ferguson story's
The trio then chat about his time at Motherwell and playing against Celtic Finally, Michael talks about his turbulent time at Chester and Jonno's hatred for goalkeepers.

A HUGE shout out to CAPO for sponsoring this weeks episode of the podcast - Check them out 👇 https://capouk.com/

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1 hr 11 min

About I Had Trials Once...

From the publisher's feed

I Had Trials Once... is a weekly football podcast and YouTube show hosted by Gareth Seddon and Jordan Hulme, featuring a range of guests from Premier League to Non-League, sharing stories you are…